Tag: Christian Matheson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employees who were dismissed from employment by his Department or its executive agencies since 2010 were on long-term sickness absence at the time of their dismissal; and how many such employees had been diagnosed with a condition considered (a) incurable, and (b) terminal.

Justin Tomlinson

DWP has succeeded in reducing sickness absence from an annual average of 8.4 days per employee in December 2010 to 6.2 days per employee currently.

DWP’s Attendance Management policy is supportive of our people and we are committed to helping them maintain good health. We will support employees during periods of sickness absence as long as there is a realistic prospect they will return to work. However, where this is not the case, we need to take prompt action to manage the situation.

The following table provides a summary of number of employees dismissed while on long-term sickness absence.

Year	Headcount at end of year	Dismissals on Long Term Sick
2010	112,135	450
2011	101,331	439
2012	106,487	333
2013	99,343	423
2014	90,388	453
2015	84,429	421

DWP does not record whether an employee’s condition is diagnosed as incurable or terminal, so cannot provide this information.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether the firm work commitments relating to Petroleum Exploration and Development Licence 189 which expire on 30 June 2016 have been satisfied.

Andrea Leadsom

Petroleum Exploration and Development Licence 189 carries an Initial Term Work Programme to obtain and reprocess seismic data and to drill a well. The seismic data has been acquired and reprocessed. The operator has requested from the Oil and Gas Authority an amendment of the licence to allow additional time for the drilling of the well.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will provide a schedule of documents held by his Department that relate to the disappearance of Rebecca Coriam from the Disney Wonder cruise ship in March 2011 and the investigation into that disappearance.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Consular documents show that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office provided assistance to the Coriam family at the time of their daughter’s disappearance in 2011, and provided updates on the progress of the Bahamian investigation through the Family Liaison Officer assigned by Cheshire Police. We also facilitated the handover of a copy of the Bahamian investigation report to Cheshire Police.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-02-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many inquests have taken place related to the death of UK citizens whilst at sea in each year including and since 2010.

Caroline Dinenage

The information requested is not held centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether a deed of variation has been agreed for Petroleum Exploration and Development Licence 189.

Andrea Leadsom

A deed of variation has not been agreed for this licence.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will provide a schedule of communications that have taken place between the Government and the governments of (a) Bahamas, (b) Mexico and (c) any other country relating to the disappearance of Rebecca Coriam in March 2011 from the Disney Wonder cruise ship.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Consular documents show that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office communicated initially with the Government of Mexico as the Disney Wonder was in Mexican Waters when Ms Coriam was discovered missing. We subsequently communicated with the Government of the Bahamas. As the ship’s flag state, the Bahamian Government was responsible for the investigation into Ms Coriam’s disappearance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2015-11-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in the (a) steel industry and (b) energy efficiency, solar and low-carbon heating industries at the most recent date for which figures are available.

Anna Soubry

The ONS Business Registers and Employment Survey provides figures for the number of jobs in manufacture of primary iron and steel in 2014, the latest year for which official figures are available.

In March 2015 the Government published a report on ‘The size and performance of the UK low carbon economy’ which contains estimates for the number of jobs supported by various low carbon sectors. The estimates can be found on the ONS and GOV.UK websites.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-02-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) deaths, (b) missing persons incidents and (c) sexual assaults or serious crimes against the person have been reported against UK citizens whilst at sea in each year since and including 2010.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Department for Transport does not hold statistics on the number of UK citizens who die at sea, become missing persons or are the victims of sexual assault or serious crimes against the person whilst at sea.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-04-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which agreement takes precedence in areas where she has accepted a business case for the police and crime commissioner to become the fire and rescue authority, or where such a transfer is in progress, and where the Government has also agreed a City Deal that would give combined authorities responsibility over fire and rescue services.

Mike Penning

The transfer of responsibility for fire and rescue services to either Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) or mayoral combined authorities is consistent with the Government’s broader approach to devolution. Joining up oversight of public services in this way will promote further collaboration and enable local leaders to pursue ambitious reforms that improve local services and deliver value for money.

The Government has been clear that it is for local leaders to determine how fire and rescue services are delivered in the best interests of their communities. The Government will consider any proposals to transfer responsibility for fire and rescue to a PCC or to a combined authority mayor on a case by case basis. There is no pre-determined order of preference.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that there is a formal mechanism for Colombian civil society involvement in the decision-making process for allocation of the EU Trust Fund for the implementation of the peace agreement in Colombia.

Mr Hugo Swire

The EU Trust Fund will become established following formal signature of a peace agreement between the Government of Colombia and the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia). Civil society can play a key role in successful implementation of a Colombian peace deal. In discussions with the EU institutions, the UK has repeatedly encouraged inclusion of civil society organisations in the EU Trust Fund draft strategy, and continues to promote civil society involvement in delivering the Trust Fund priorities once the fund is operational. Through meetings in Bogota, the EU has set in place a consultation mechanism for civil society organisations. The first formal consultation with NGOs took place on 28 June.